Friday, January 22, 2010

Ferns in Your Garden

I recommend adding ferns in your shade garden. Ferns offer very fine textured foliage. Plant'em in clumps of three or more. Select the proper fern by your garden site, e.g whether it is likely dry or moist soils. Some grow surprisingly well in full sun, but most prefer partial to full shade. Don't buy a collection of different ferns for planting in one garden place. Instead, select them by their light and soil moisture needs.

Here are four species which are easy to grow:

Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Autumn fern (Dryopteris erythrosora)

Lady fern (Athryium felix-femina)

All four are not finicky, demonstrate good drought tolerance and grow in soil with little to no additional soil prep. Ideally, you should them in a richly composted garden soil along with adequate moisture over long dry spells. A weak fertilizer solution monthly from April to August will get all off to a good start in the first year.

About Me

I am a gardener, one who actually enjoys his addiction for plants. I have been a horticultural educator for 30 plus years. Beginning my retirement years provides me with more time in my garden and more time to share my profession with those whose company I enjoy the most---you who till the soil.